Doffing mechanism.



S. SHAGKLETON.

DOPFING MECHANISM.

APPLIUATION FILED 1111.5, 1912.

11,0901758. Patented Mar.17,1914.

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A PPLIOATION FILED JAN. 5, 1912. 1,090,758., Patented m1111914.

S. SHACKLETON.

DOFFING MBGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5, 1912.

Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

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DOFFING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 5, 1912. Serial No. 669,652.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, SUGDEN SHAGKLETON, a subject of the King of Great Britain, re siding at Malsis Mount, Keighley, in the county of York, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dofiing Mechanism, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to flier-spinning, twist-ing, doubling and analogous machines of the kind in which the bobbins when filled with yarn or thread are removed or doiied mechanically from the spindles and are deposited upon a series of empty pegs, after which a series of empty bobbins upon which yarn or thread is to be spun are removed mechanically from a second series of pegs and are insertedin place upon the spindles which are then caused to re-assume engagement with the respective fliers; and the object of the invention is to provide an improved construction and arrangement of the mechanism for performing t-he do'liing operation, and also improved means for maintaining driving engagement between the spindles and the fliers.

According to this invention a bar capable of being moved in a horizontal plane is mounted in rear of the spindles and has lixed thereto a series of spring clips, one behind each spindle, each of which is adapted to seize the bottom flange of and to retain a full or an empty bobbin, as the case may be, during the dofiing operation, while in front of said spindles two bars, carrying a series of pegs holding empty bobbins and a series of pegs for the ultimate reception of' full bobbins respectively, are arranged so as to be capable of movement in a vertical plane, said bar having pegs for the ultimate reception of the full bobbins also being arranged so as to be capable of being moved through a horizontal plane. The fliers are supported above the spindles in bearings provided in an overhead rail, and each is adapted to be rotated by means of a whirl fast upon the neck of the flier and with which the usual tape or other driving band engages. Driv ing engagement between the fliers and spindles is effected by means of spring-controlled footstep bearings which tend constantly when the spindle rail is in the uppermost position to force the tapered upper extremities of the spindles into the correspondingly tapered necks of the fliers. The usual lifter plate provided with dragn washers may be employed. The ieXible bearings for the spindles may consist of footstep, blocks mount-ed in slots in the spindle rail and pressed upwardly by means of spiral springs. Suitable means for severing the yarn or thread may be provided and may be arranged to collapse or fold out of operative position during the time that the yarn or thread is being spun. In other respects the machine may be of substantially usual design and any well-known form of operating mechanism `may be employed to drive the same.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings.

Figures l and 9. are vertical sections of so much of a spinning machine of well! known construction as is necessary lto the understanding of the invention; Fig. l show` ing the parts in position during spinning and at the completion of the filling with thread of a series of bohbins, and Fig. 2 showing the positions of the parts just preparatory to the dofling operation. Figs. 3 to 9 inclusive are detail views drawn to a larger scale. Fig. 3 is an elevation, partly in section, of a portion of a flier and of a spindle, illustrating the driving connection therebetween. Fig. 4 is a cross section on line A,A,I `ig.3.l Fig. 5 is a plan view and Fig. 6 is an elevation of one of the bobbingripping devices. Figs. 7 and S show the thread severing mechanism. Fig. 7 is a sec tion on line B, B, Fig. 8, and Fig. S is a front elevation of a portion of the mechamsm. Fig. 9 is a sectional view of one of the footstep bearings for the spindles.

Similar reference numerals indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

l is the main framework of the machine, 2. 2, are the usual drawing rolls, 3 the spindle rail, and 4 is one of a series of spindles `having a flier 5 supported from an overhead rail 6 attached by means of brackets 7 to the main framing l.

8 is a bobbin which has been filled with yarn or thread and 9 is the usual lifterplate which is carried by a number of' brackets 9asupported upon the usual pokers or pillars 9b.

Mounted in rear of the spindles 4 is a bar 10 which is capable of being moved in a horizontal plane and has fixed thereto a se ries of spring clins 11, one in rear of each spindle 4; each of which clips is adapted to seize the bottom flange of and to, retain a Patented Mar. I7, i914.

full or an empty bobbin, as the case may be, during the doiiing operation. In front of said spindles 4 there are mounted two rails 12, 13, the rail 12 carrying a series of pegs 14 holding a series of empty bobbins 15 to be filled with yarn or thread and the rail 13 carrying a series of pegs 16 for the ultimate reception of full bobbins 8. These two rails 12 and 13 are attached to brackets 17 mounted. at the upper extremities of rack pillars 18 arranged in guide brackets 19 supported by a fixed rail 2O mounted on the main frame 1, movement in a vertical plane being imparted to said rack pillars 18 by means of pinions 21 engaging therewith and carried by a shaft 22 extending longitudinally of the machine and having at one extremity an operating hand wheel or other equivalent device (not shown). The rail 13 is also arranged so as to be capable of being moved through a horizontal plane, and for this purpose is carried by arms 23 adapted to be slid within guideways 24 formed with the aforesaid brackets 17 carried by the rack pillars 18.

The spindle rail 3 is carried at each extremity, and intermediately also if necessary, by means of toothed plates or blocks 25 mounted on slideways in the main frame 1 and with which engage pinions 26 carried by a shaft 27 extending longitudinally of the machine and provided with an operating hand wheel (not shown) or with mechanical means for turning the same whereby to raise and lower the spindle rail 3 when necessary.

The bar 10 carrying the bobbin-gripping devices 11 is supported at each extremity., and intermediately also if required,` upon toothed racks 28 mounted in guides 29, formed on or attached to the frame l, and said racks 28 engage pinions 30 carried by a shaft 31 extending lo-ngitudinally of the machine in rear of the spindles and provided with appropriate means for turning the same, whereby to shift said bobbingripping devices in a horizontal plane toward and from the bobbins.

The lifter-plate 9 is adapted to be raised and lowered by suitable mechanism (not shown) operated by means ofk a shaft 32.

In order to move the rail 13 in a hori- Zontal plane toward and away from the spindle a rock-shaft 33 operated by a hand lever or hand wheel, extends in suitable bearings 34 above the aforesaid guides 24 and has fastened thereto slotted arms 35, each engaging a pin 36 projecting` from each of the arms 23.

The necks of the iiers 5 are supported in bearings carried by the overhead rail 6 and each flier is adapted to be rotated by means of a whirl 37 fast upon the neck of the iiier and with which the usual tape or other driving band engages.

The upper extremity of each spindle 4 is tapered and enters the correspondingly tapered neck of the flier 5, and a pin 38 (Figs. 3 and 4) passing thro-ugh the neck of the flier and through a transverse groove 39 formed at the upper extremity of each spindle prevents rotation of a spindle relatively to its flier.

Driving engagement between the fliers and spindles is effected by means of resilient footstep bearings which tend constantly when the spindle rail 3 is in the uppermost position to force the aforesaid tapered upper extremities of the spindles into the necks of the fliers. Said resilient footstep bearings may consist of footstep blocks or slides 40 (Fig. 9) housed within sleeves 41 arranged in apertures formed in the spindle rail 3, said blocks or slides 40 being pressed upwardly by means of spiral springs 42 confined between the lower extremities of said blocks 40 and screw-caps 43 taking onto the screw-threaded lower extremities of the sleeves 41 which project beneath the spindle rail and serving to retain said sleeves in po sition. The spindles 4 are provided near their lower extremities with collars 44 to prevent their accidental escape from said footstep bearings.

The usual drag washers 45 are placed between the lower extremities of the bobbins 8 and the lifter plate 9.

The bobbin-gripping devices may be each formed of a single length of steel wire bent to the desired configuration and attached by bolts 46 to the bar 10 (Figs. 5 and 6),

andthe lower flanges 47, 48, of the full bobbins 8 and empty bobbins 15 respectively may be grooved as shown in order to enable a secure hold to be taken thereon by said wire grippingdevices 11.

In order to sever the yarns or threads from the full bobbins after they have been doifed and before or when spinning recommences a serrated 0r notched bar 49 (Figs. 7 and 8) is hung by arms 50 from a rock-shaft 51 carried in bearings formed in brackets 9a, said shaft 51 being rotatable by suitable means to move the thread-severing mechanism angularly into and out of operative position as described hereafter. Mounted in rear of said serrated or notched bar 49 is a longitudinally slidable bar 54 to which is attached at intervals a number of U-shaped blades 55 which embrace the lower serrated edge of the bar 49. One of said blades 55 is provided for each spindle. In operation the threads extending between the fliers 5 and the full bobbins 8 are adapted to be caused to enter the serrations in the bar 49 and to be gripped against one of the side walls of the serrations by the U-shaped blades 55.

The operation of the machine is as follows z-When a series of bobbins 8 upon the spindles 4 have been filled with yarn or thread and it is desired to dei them and substitute a series of empty bobbins 15, the machine is stopped and the aforesaid lifterplate 9 is lowered by turning shaft 32 until the bottom flanges 47 of all the bobbins 8 arrive in the same horizontal plane as that of the spring gripping devices 11 in their rear. The spring gripping devices 11 are then moved forward by means of racks 28, pinions 30 and shaft 31 until said gripping devices or clips 11 grip the grooved lower flanges 47. Spindle rail 3 is then lowered through the medium of the shaft 27 and, pinions 26 and toothed slides 25, and the lifter-plate 9 is also lowered until the spindles 4pare withdrawn from the bobbins 8; the tops of the spindles 4 being carried below the level of rail 13, which rail 13 is then by operating rock-shaft 33 caused to move horizontally inward until the pegs 16 are immediately below the central passages of the series of full bobbins 8 now held by the clips 11. The rail 13 is then raised vertically through the medium of rack pillars 18, pinions 21 and shaft 22 until the pegs 16 are inserted within said central apertures of the bobbins 8, and when the bobbins 8 have been thus placed on the pegs 16 the bar 1() and hence also the spring clips 11 are withdrawn leaving the bobbins 8 upon pegs 16. The rail 13 is then lowered and moved back horizontally to carry the bobbins 8 clear of the spindles 4 and fliers 5. The rail 12 carrying pegs 14 and a series of empty bobbins 15 already in place thereon is then raised vertically by means of shaft 22, pinions 21l and rack pillars 18 until the grooved bottom flanges 48 of said empty bobbins 15 are brought level with the spring clips 11 which are then once more moved forward to grip said grooved flanges 48. When the empty bobbins 15 have been securely gripped by the clips 11 the pegs 14 are withdrawn therefrom by lowering rail 12 by means of the aforesaid Operating mechanism, and the clips 11 and with them the empty bobbins 15 are moved horizontally backwardly by shaft 31, pinions 30 and racks 28 until the central apertures of said bobbins 15 are situated above the spindles 4. The spindle rail 3 and lifterplate 9 are then raised by means of their respective above described operating mechanism until spindles 4 have been inserted in said empty bobbins 15 and have been pressed ho-me in the fliers 5 by means of the resilient footstep blocks 40.

The yarns or threads between the twizzles of the fliers 5 and the full bobbins .8 have to be severed before winding on to the empty bobbins 15 can be commenced, and for this purpose the thread severing mechanism is brought into operative position. This is n done by turning the rock-shaft 51 so as to move the serrated bar 49, the slidable bar 54 and U-shaped blades 55 angularly upon mechanism a few turns are given to the fliers causing all the threads to brealr at the point where gripped between bar 49 and the blades 55 and spinning is thereupon re-commenced; the thread severing mechanism being moved angularly downward into inoperative position.

What I claim is 1. In doliing mechanism for flier spinning and analogous machines, vertically reciprocatory racks supporting a spindle rail, bobbin spindles having tapered upper ends, said spindles being carried by said spindle rail, fliers having tapered openings to receive said tapered spindle ends in driving engagement, a fixed rail having bearings in which said fliers are carried, spring means carried by said spindle rail to exert a normal upward pressure on said spindles, vertically reciprocatory columns supporting upper and lower peg carrying bars, the upper 'peg carrying bar being horizontally reciprocatory, and a horizontally reciprocatory single series of bobbin carriers constructed to grip the bottom flanges of the full bobbins as well as of the empty bobbins and operative to coact with said peg carrying bars in effecting the horizontal transfer of said full and empty bobbins respectively from and toward said spindles.

2. In dofiing mechanism for flier spinning and analogous machines, vertically reciprocatory racks supporting a spindle rail, bobbin spindles having tapered upper ends, said spindles being carried by said spindle rail, fliers having tapered openings to receive said tapered spindle ends in driving engagement, a fixed rail having bearings in which said fliers are carried, spring means carried by said spindle rail to exert a normal upward pressure on said spindles, vertically reciprocatory columns supporting upper and lower peg carrying bars, the upper peg carrying bar being horizontally reciprocatory, a horizontal series of spring clips constructed to grip the bobbin flanges of the full as well as of the empty bobbins, and a horizontally reciprocatory element carrying said clips and operable to effect the transfer of said full and empty bobbins respectively from and toward said spindles.

3. In dofling mechanism for flier spinning and analogous machines, vertically reciprocatory racks supporting the spindle rail, bobbin spindles having tapered upper ends, said spindles being carried by said spindle rail, fliers having tapered openings to receive said tapered spindle ends in driving engagement, a fixed rail having bearings in which said fliers are carried, spring foot step bearings for said spindles carried by said spindle rail to exert a normal upward pressure on said spindles, vertically reciprocatory columns supporting upper and lower peg carrying bars, the upper peg carrying bar being horizontally reciprocatory, and a horizontally reciprocatory single series of bobbin carriers constructed to grip the bottom flanges of the full bobbins as well as of the empty bobbins, and operative to 'coactwith said peg carrying bars in e'ecting the horizontal transfer of' said full and empty bobbins respectively from and toward said spindles.

4l. In doliing mechanism for fiier spinning and analogous machines, vertically reciprocatory racks supporting a spindle rail, bobbin spindles having tapered upper ends, said spindles being carried by said spindle rail, fliers havingv tapered openings to receive said tapered spindle ends in driving engagement, a iixed rail having bearings in which said fliers are carried, sleeves fitted in said spindle rail and inclosing the lower p0rtions of the spindles, spindle foot step bearings slidable within the sleeves, caps closing the lower ends of' the sleeves, expansive springs engaging said caps and said foot step bearings, vertically reciprocatory columns supporting upper and lower peg carrying bars, the upper peg carrying bar being horizontally reciprocatory, and a horizontally reciprocatory single series of' bobbin carriers constructed to grip the bottom flanges of the full bobbins as well as the empty bobbins and operative to coact with said peg carrying bars in effecting the horizontal transfer of said full and empty bobbins respectively from and toward said spindles.

5. In dofling mechanism for flier spinning and analogous machines, vertically reciprocatory racks supporting a spindle rail, bobbin spindles carried thereby, fliers having openings to receive the upper ends of said spindles in driving engagement, a fixed rail having bearings in which said fliers are carried, vertically reciprocatory columns supporting upper and lower peg carrying bars, the upper peg carrying bars being horizontally reciprocatory and serving to receive the full bobbins, the lower peg carrying bars supporting the empty bobbins, and a single series of horizontally reciprocatory bobbin carriers constructed to engage the bottom flanges of the bobbins to furnish support therefor and movable horizontally from a position in the rear of said bobbin spindles to a position in alinement with said spindles and from the latter position to a position in advance of said spindles and in alinement with said lower peg carrying bar.

6. In dolhng mechanism for flier spinning and analogous machines, vertically reciprocatory racks supporting a spindle rail, bobbin spindles carried thereby, fliers having openings to receive the upper ends of said spindles in driving engagement, spring foot step bearings engaging the lower ends of said spindles to insure their driving engagement with the openings in said fiiers, a fixed rail having bearings in which said iers are carried, vertically reciprocatory columns supporting upper and lower peg carrying bars, the upper peg carrying bars being horizontally reciprocatory and serving to receive the full bobbins, the lower peg carrying bars supporting the empty bobbins, and a single series of horizontally reciprocatory bobbin carriers constructed to engage the bottom flanges of the bobbins to furnish support therefor and movable horizontally from a position in the rear of said bobbin spindles to a position in alinement with said spindles, and from the latter position to a position in advance of said spindles and in alinement with said lower peg carrying bar.

7 In dofling mechanism for flier spinning and analogous machines, vertically reciprocatory racks supporting a spindle rail, bobbin spindles carried thereby, fliers having openings to receive the upper ends of said spindles in driving engagement, a fixed rail having bearings in which said fliers are carried, vertically reciprocatory columns supporting upper and lower peg carrying bars, the upper peg carrying bars being horizontally reciprocatory and serving to receive the full bobbins, the lower peg carrying bars supporting the empty bobbins, a single series of horizontally reciprocatory spring clips constructed to grip the bottom flanges of the bobbins and to furnish support therefor, and a horizontally reciprocatory bar carrying said clips and movable horizontally from a position in the rear of said bobbin spindles to a position wherein the clips are in alinement with said spindles and from the latter position to a position wherein said clips are in advance of said spindles and are in alinement with said lower peg carrying bar.

8. In doiiing mechanism for flier spiny ning and analogous machines, vertically reciprocatory racks supporting a spindle rail, bobbin spindles carried thereby, fliers having openings to receive the upper ends of said spindles in driving engagement, spring foot step bearings engaging the lower ends of said spindles to insure their driving engagement with the openings in said fliers, a fixed rail having bearings in which said fliers are carried, vertically reciprocatory columns support-ing upper and lower peg carrying bars, the upper peg carrying bars being horizontally reciprocatory and serving to receive the full bobbins, the lower peg carrying bars supporting the empty bobbins, a single series ot horizontally reciprocatory spring clips constructed to grip the bottom flanges of the bobbins and to furnish support therefor, and a horizontally reand analogous machines, vertically reciprocatory racks supporting a spindle rail, bobbin spindles carried thereby, fliers having openings to receive the upper ends of said spindles in driving engagement, spring means acting on said spindles to press them upwardly and to insure the engagement of their upper ends in the openings of said fliers, and sundry instrumentalities in coaction with said spindle rail and spindles for effecting the interchange of full and empty bobbins.

10. ln doiling mechanism Jfor iiier spinning and analogous machines, vertically reciprocatory racks supporting a spindle rail, bobbin spindles carried thereby, fliers having openings to receive the upper ends of said spindles in driving engagement, the said openings and upper ends of the spindles being conformably tapered, spring foot step bearings for the spindles carried by the spindle rail and insuring the driving engagement of the upper ends of said spindles in said openings, and sundry instrumentalities in coaction with said spindle rail and spindles for effecting the interchange of full and empty bobbins.

11. In doliing mechanism for flier spinning and analogous machines, the combination with the lifter plate supporting the bobbins to be wound and a series of pegs to receive the full bobbins which have been doled and normally occupying a position below and in front of said lifter plate, of brackets pivotally mounted immediately in front of said lifter plate, a bar carried by said brackets and having thread receiving notches, the brackets normally depending from their support and being movable to position said bar whereby its notches engage the threads leading from the bobbins which have been dotted, and elements movably mounted on said bar to engage the threads received in said notches.

l2. In doi'iing mechanism for flier spinning and analogous machines, vertically reciprocatory racks supporting a spindle rail, bobbin spindles carried by said spindle rail and having tapered upper ends, fliers having tapered openings to receive said tapered spindle ends in driving engagement, a fixed rail having bearings in which said fliers are carried, vertically reciprocatory columns supporting upper and lower peg carrying bars, the upper peg carrying bar being horizontally reciprocatory and being operative to move its pegs to a position wherein they aline with the openings in said fliers, and a horizontally reciprocatory single series of bobbin carriers constructed to grip the bottom flanges of the full bobbins as well as of the empty bobbins, the latter being originally disposed on the pegs of said lower peg carrying bar, said bobbin carriers being movable to a position in alinement with said spindles and being also movable to a position in alinement with said lower peg carrying bars.

13. In dofling mechanism for flier spinning and analogous machines, vertically reciprocatory racks supporting a spindle rail, bobbin spindles carried by said spindle rail and having tapered upper ends, fliers having tapered openings to receive said tapered spindle ends in driving engagement, a Xed rail having bearings in which said iers are carried, vertically reciprocatory columns supporting upper and lower peg carrying bars, the upper peg carrying bar being horizontally reciprocatory and being operative to move its pegs to a position wherein they aline with the openings in said fliers, a horizontally reciprocatory single series of bobbin carriers constructed to grip the bottom flanges of the full bobbins as well as of the empty bobbins, the latter being originally disposed on the pegs of said lower peg carrying bar, said bobbin carriers being movable to a position in alinement with said spindles and being also movable to a position in alinement with said lower peg carrying bars, and spring means carried by said spindle rail to exert a normal upward pressure on said spindles and to thereby insure the driving engagement thereof in the openings of said fliers.

lin testimony whereot1 l have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing wit- Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner o Patents, Washington, D. C. 

